Chlorine

The maintenance of swimming pools can be very expensive what with the safety requirement needed like the installation of safety pool covers and the cleaning and disinfecting considerations. Fortunately, pool owners need worry at all when it comes to pool cleaning and disinfecting the water because they now have a wider range of pool chemicals. Since the pool can be rich basin of water-borne diseases hence regular cleaning of the pool becomes a primary necessity.

Pool owners are doubly fortunate because nature has blessed them with one of the most abundant chemicals that can be used in sanitizing the swimming pools. Chlorine is perhaps nature’s gift all pool owners because it is one most abundant and affordable among the pool chemicals available today. In fact when one thinks of pool chemicals chlorine would definitely come on top of the list. This chemical is available in different forms and the most preferred are the chlorine tablets however the grains and the sticks are also widely used.

The use of chlorine has been enjoyed centuries ago as one of the most powerful and effective oxidizing agent and was relied heavily as the most effective bleaching agent. Because of its overpowering smell this chemical has been used also as one of the chemical warfare used by the Germans to drive away their enemies during the First World War. Truly so, a long exposure of to this chemical can cause respiratory irritation and diseases.

Today, one of the many uses of chlorine is to sanitize the swimming pool as well as making sure that the pool water is hygienically safe for dipping. When chlorine is used to disinfect the pool water there are some considerations that must be prioritized when dealing with pool chemicals especially chlorine. One of the purpose of chlorine is to make sure that pool water has maintained the required ph level which is within 7.2 –7.6. Any level that will go beyond or below might cause irritation to the skin and eyes of the swimmers. Thus it is very essential that the ph level is monitored regularly.

The total alkalinity of the water must be checked also to make sure that the acid is neutralized. In this case the total alkalinity of the pool water should be between 80-150 ppm (parts per million). In order to make sure that chlorine is working effectively a stabilizer is needed. The commonly used stabilizer and is proven to be working perfectly well with chlorine is Cyanuric acid. Another important reminder is that the two should not be mixed to avoid any accident. Though chlorine is not at all flammable a chemical but it might create explosive reaction when mixed with other chemicals.

Chlorine has many benefits one of these benefits is its ability of clean and the make the water safe for all the swimmers. However, this chemical can also pose danger to the health of an individual, which would greatly depend on the amount of exposure to the chemical. This can only happen however if a considerable amount of chlorine gas is released into the air. When this happens anyone who is exposed to it will likely experience skin and eye irritation. Likewise the possibility of experiencing difficulty in breathing is likely to happen. This chemical is also a poisonous substance hence, utmost care is needed in handling, using, and storing. If more than the required amount is mix into the water the same thing will happen. However, this can only happen when an individual is staying as low as the chlorine since this chemical has a higher density than air so it stays in low areas.

When anyone is exposed to chlorine some of the signs that must be observed are coughing, burning sensation, tightness of the chest, eyes becomes watery, blurred vision, feeling of nausea and throwing-up, and shortness and difficulty in breathing. When all these are manifested in anyone it means that he or she has been overly exposed to chlorine.

Chlorine has been relied as one of the most effective cleaning and disinfecting agents available. However it can only be fully utilized when the required precautionary measures are met otherwise its continued use will be nothing short of poison.